Outside
by Celestra
Summary: Remember when Fleur refused to go with Ron to the Yule Ball? What really happened, and what was Ron thinking during and immediately after it happened? Songfic to 'Outside' by Staind.


Outside

By Celestra (Les-chan)

Author Notes: Welcome to my little corner on where my (mindless drivel) stories are stored. This is a little songfic I thought of yesterday. You remember when Ron asked Fleur to the dance at the Yule Ball in GoF? Well, we never really got to see it in the book, and while listening to one of my CDs yesterday, my random mind decided to stick this piece of information at the top of my 'things to do' list. Voilà, a story is born.

So, yeah, basically this is a songfic on what Ron was doing/thinking when he asked Fleur to dance (and was refused). It's to _Outside_, by Staind. Enjoy! ^^

Disclaimer: *sighs* I can't believe I have to do another one of these. If I owned Harry Potter, you wouldn't be reading this on , you would be reading a published version of this and it would actually _be_ part of Goblet of Fire. So, yeah. I'm not JK Rowling nor do I claim to be. I also don't claim ownership of the song 'Outside', which to my limited knowledge belongs to Staind or some other guy who wrote it. The songs I write suck . . . Anyways, onwards and enjoy!

**The larger centered italic text is the words of the song, while italic text in between the ' ' denote thought.

* * *

Yes, today would be the day. He would finally do what he and Harry had sworn earlier on, that they would both get a date for the Yule Ball before the day was out, no matter what.

Ron was happier than he expected to be, faced with what he had finally steeled himself to do. The next time he saw Fleur Delacour, he was going to ask her to the dance. He had to keep repeating this to himself as a mantra, because he wasn't as sure as himself today than he was yesterday when he and Harry had agreed to get themselves girls. Sure, he wanted to go with her, but why would she want to go with _him_?

_'Stop thinking like that, Ron.'_ He told himself. _'Turn on the Weasley charm and you'll be fine.'_ He shifted his books so that he could look at his watch. _'Speaking of charms, if I don't hurry, I'll be late for Flitwick!'_ He scooped the rest of his books off the lunch table and proceeded to run very fast to the Charms corridor.

Wheezing, he let his book bag fall to the stone floor, again looking at his watch. He was actually still a little early; and not even Harry or Hermione had caught up yet, as they were still eating their lunches. Suddenly, a voice wafted from around the corner. A voice with a very French accent . . .

Ron's heart stopped. He could not _believe_ his luck! Fleur Delacour was right around the corner, and there was no one around but himself! Nervously, he tried to flatten his hair and make himself look more presentable as Fleur strolled around the corner with a friend, both of their pale blue school robes billowing behind them elegantly.

_'I swear, she's way too much veela for my good . . . but she's so pretty . . .'_ Half-formed thoughts began to drift through his mind again, just like at the Quidditch match. '_So pretty . . . impress . . .' _

He ran up to her, rationalized thoughts all but gone.

_And you,_

_Bring me to my knees, Again._

Ron couldn't think straight. He didn't even think to excuse him and Fleur from the other girl's presence so that he could ask her in private.

"Would you like to go to the ball with me? Yes, come to the ball with me, please. Please; ball; come . . ."

Fleur looked down on him in disdain, her friend laughing at his mindless stuttering.

"Moi? At zee ball avec toi? I zon't theenk so! What are you, een zee third year?!" She was looking at him rather like one would to a squished slug on their best shoes. She began laughing at him, along with her friend.

Ron, still attracted to her veela-charms, didn't know when to quit. "I'm a fourth year! Please come with me!"

Fleur was looking at him again, less than amused at his consistent begging. "I zaid no! Your begging eez annoying me! You are begging like a dog!"

She turned and spoke in French to her friend. " Il est comme un chien, oui? Un chien stupide avec les cheveux rouges!" She and her friend burst into gales of rude laughter.

_All the times,_

_That I could beg you please,_

_In vain._

_All the times,_

_That I felt insecure_

_For you._

_But I leave_

_ my burdens at the door._

Ron gazed at her with hurt and confused eyes. He did not understand French, but he was almost sure that whatever she had said was about him, and _wasn't_ nice.

It was then where his situation was made even worse than it already was. Three more of Fleur's friends had just joined her, and by the looks on their faces, they had heard the whole thing. Fleur smiled at her surrounding friends. She looked at Ron. "Can you see zis? Zis eez like a club. A club of zee elite! And you, _mon_ _cherie_, are on zee outside. Eet would be best for you to leave."

Crestfallen, Ron entered the Charms' classroom, selecting a single seat at the very back where he could brood and curse himself for being so stupid as to ask Fleur in front of her friends. Harry and Hermione, on entering and seeing Ron's sulking, upset face, decided to leave him alone and not question him until later when they had more time.

While Professor Flitwick was explaining to the class about Mystery Charms and how no one even know who had invented them, Ron sank into his own thoughts, replaying the scene that had just happened in his mind, remembering how they had all clambered to be beside her, just like she was the president of a club and they were curious members, how he was on the outside, looking in at them standing together.

At first, Ron was feeling pity for himself, but that soon turned to anger. _'Why should she refuse me? I'm just as good as anyone else!'_ And then it dawned on him – Fleur might have a pretty face, but that didn't mean she didn't have true colors, the true colors that make people mean, sadistic and generally unlikable people.

_'Well, I guess I know her true colors now. She was probably waiting for Cedric Diggory or Roger Davies or maybe even Harry to ask her, so she _possibly_ couldn't go with someone like _me_ compared to them. . . It's like Mom said, people can be pretty on the outside, but ugly with bad intentions inside. But that doesn't change that I'm outside and beyond her . . ._

_But I'm on the outside,_

_And I'm looking in,_

_I can see through you,_

_See your true colors,_

_'Cause inside you're ugly,_

_You're ugly like me._

_I can see through you,_

_See to the real you._

Ron felt both disappointed and furious. He wondered why he had possibly liked her in the first place, besides her looks. Although he was sure he was over her, he could still remember the taunting stares, the belittling comments, and the laughing jeers that preyed on his pride. Of course, he _had_ to put his pride into jeopardy by asking her in front of other people . . . His intentions of showing Harry just _who_ he had been able to take to the dance faded away as they laughed . . . His time wasted, instead, now embarrassing him . . .

_All the times,_

_That I felt that this won't end,_

_Was for you._

_And I taste,_

_What I could never have,_

_It's from you._

_All the times,_

_That I've tried,_

_My intentions,_

_Full of pride._

_But I waste_

_More time than anyone._

God, he was such an _idiot_ . . . Why did he ever think he should be more than what he already was? He was part of _Potter, Weasley and Granger_, wasn't he? That was the only really important thing to be apart of, his friends. Then why did it still hurt that he was looking in on Fleur and her friends?

_But I'm on the outside,_

_And I'm looking in,_

_I can see through you, _

_See your true colors,_

_'Cause inside you're ugly,_

_You're ugly like me._

_I can see through you,_

_See to the real you._

But in any case, it still hurt. It hurts when you're refused from anything, whether of importance or not. Denial still hurts . . . _'Come on, Weasley. You're tough. Stuff the pain down, you can take it. Focus on it later. Harry may not have exams to do, but you do.'_

_All the times,_

_That I've cried,_

_All this wasted,_

_It's all inside._

_And I feel,_

_All this pain, _

_Stuffed it down,_

_It's back again._

_And I lie,_

_Here in bed,_

_All alone,_

_I can't mend._

_But I feel,_

_Tomorrow will be okay._

Ron smiled to himself. _'I'll get over this._' So he was on the outside of people who only _thought_ they were so great. So what? In the end, it was better to be on the outside of people like _that_.

_But I'm on the outside,_

_And I'm looking in,_

_I can see through you,_

_See your true colors,_

_'Cause inside you're ugly,_

_You're ugly like me._

_I can see through you,_

_See to the real you._

Yes, he was Ron Weasley. He could do anything he wanted, and he would. It turned out better than he thought it would, much better. Because now, he wouldn't have to be tied down with lingering thoughts of impressing Fleur.

_'I'm Ron Weasley. I was refused a date once, and it may happen again, but in the end, I have what _really_ counts.'_

End ^_^

^^ Did you enjoy? It was kinda fun to write! Oh, for those of you who are Ron Weasley fans and who understand what Fleur said about him, don't hate me. Ron's my favorite character (along with Rupert Grint, the guy who plays him in the movie, being my favorite actor) and it was necessary for Fleur to degrade him like that because that's the kinda person she seems to be. I needed to keep her in character. Also, I apologize for Fleur's fractured French. I know French people don't really always speak like that, but that was how she was done in the book. I myself speak French, because going to a French Immersion for 7 years does that to you! ^^

Thank you for being kind readers, and please leave some advice or a comment in the review section!


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